Crown ring worn by Tupac Shakur during last public appearance sells for $1 Million

In a historic auction held at Sotheby's in New York on Tuesday, a crown ring adorned with gold, rubies, and diamonds, once worn by the iconic rap legend Tupac Shakur, sold for a staggering $1 million. The winning bid far exceeded Sotheby's initial estimate of $200,000 to $300,000, making it the most valuable hip-hop artifact ever sold in history.

2 things you need to know 

• The ring was worn by the rap legend Tupac Shakur during his last public appearance in 1996.
• Designed by Tupac himself, the ring draws inspiration from medieval European crowns.

Final public appearance before tragic demise

Tupac Shakur, a native of New York, donned the ring during his final public appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 4, 1996, just days before his untimely demise. Tragically, the rapper was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 13, 1996, at the young age of 25.

(Rapper Tupac last public appearance was on September 4, 1996 | Image: Leonard Jefferson)

What inspired Tupac's unique crown ring design?

The unique crown ring was designed by Tupac himself over several months, with the assistance of his godmother Yaasmyn Fula, who later decided to put the exquisite piece up for auction. The rapper drew inspiration from Niccolo Machiavelli's political manifesto The Prince, which he closely studied during his time in prison on sex abuse charges. The design of the ring was influenced by the regal crowns worn by medieval kings of Europe.

(Tupac's ring is adorned with gold, rubies, and diamonds | Image: Tupac Fanpage/Twitter)

Engraved with "Pac & Dada 1996," referring to his girlfriend Kidada Jones, the ring features a central cabochon ruby surrounded by two pave-cut diamonds, all set atop a diamond-encrusted gold band.

The auction was part of a dedicated hip-hop event commemorating the genre's 50th anniversary, which falls in August of this year. Tupac Shakur, with his impressive discography, including hits like California Love, remains one of the greatest rappers of all time, having sold a remarkable 75 million records worldwide.

Throughout his career, Tupac was a central figure in the West Coast hip-hop scene based in Los Angeles, often engaging in a highly publicized rivalry with East Coast rappers in New York. His murder remains unsolved, and various theories about the identity of his assailant have circulated for years. Six months after Tupac's tragic death, East Coast rapper Christopher "The Notorious BIG" Wallace was also fatally shot, sparking rumors of a feud between their respective music labels, Death Row based in LA, and Bad Boy Entertainment from New York.

Last week, Las Vegas police executed a search at a residence as part of their ongoing investigation into Tupac Shakur's murder, a case that has remained open for decades.